ZOMBO, September 30, 2026 — Leaders of the Okoro Coffee Growers Cooperative Union have appealed to the Government, through the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, to intervene and rescue the union as it struggles to recover from near-total collapse.
The call was made during a capacity-building training course for newly elected leaders and the governing body, held recently at the Ayuda coffee factory in Abanga Subcounty, Zombo district.
The training sought to equip the new leadership with essential skills in cooperative governance, leadership, financial management and operational best practices. The goal is to restore the union’s competitiveness and enable it to compete with stronger cooperatives such as the Bugisu Cooperative Union in eastern Uganda.
Scovia Tusubira, a trainer from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, noted that the newly elected leaders lacked foundational knowledge and practical experience in running a cooperative union.
“They were green and raw in the operations of the union,” she said, adding that they also lacked the advocacy and lobbying skills needed to secure funding for the union’s revival and improved performance.
Jalicida Collins, the vice-chairperson, described the union’s current condition as being in an “intensive care unit [ICU]” state, requiring urgent support from the Government and other relevant stakeholders.
He said the leadership would identify priority areas of intervention for the ministry through strategic engagement, collaboration and benchmarking with other successful cooperative unions.
Formed in 1962 and headquartered in Paidha Town, Zombo District, the Okoro Coffee Growers Cooperative Union is one of Uganda’s long-standing farmer-owned cooperatives. It aggregates high-quality Arabica coffee grown by smallholder farmers on the highland slopes of the West Nile region, primarily in Zombo, Nebbi, Arua and Pakwach districts, at altitudes of approximately 4,500–5,200 feet above sea level.
The coffee is largely organically grown on small family gardens and is known for its mild, sweet aroma and distinctive flavour profile.
Historically, the union’s processing plant at Ayuda handled substantial volumes of coffee, supporting local livelihoods until operational challenges, including high energy costs and governance issues, led to the prolonged dormancy of key assets.
The union currently serves more than 8,000 member farmers. According to its leaders, a functional Okoro Coffee Growers Cooperative Union would deliver multiple agricultural and economic benefits to local smallholders.
By aggregating cherry and parchment coffee from primary societies, the union strengthens farmers’ bargaining power, reduces exploitation by middlemen and enables better farm-gate prices.
Value addition through hulling, grading and potential export marketing would allow members to capture more value from the coffee value chain rather than leaving it to external buyers.
During the training, participants resolved that the union must not be allowed to collapse. They committed to a collective revival strategy focused on increasing coffee production through improved agronomic practices and seedling distribution, mobilising resources, expanding exports through value addition, and rehabilitating and putting idle assets, including the Ayuda factory and related machinery, back into productive use.
Key measures agreed upon include revamping primary cooperative societies through leadership changes where necessary, sustained capacity building, and partnerships with other unions and potential investors.
Government support through the provision of free seedlings, fertilisers for rehabilitating ageing coffee trees, and technical guidance from district extension workers is already underway as part of broader revival efforts.
Special general meetings and member mobilisation across primary societies are also continuing to restore grassroots structures and prepare for credible governance processes.
Leaders emphasised that deliberate, collective responsibility — combining improved leadership, financial discipline, production intensification and strategic partnerships — is essential to restoring the Okoro Coffee Growers Cooperative Union as a viable engine of rural development and sustainable livelihoods in Zombo and the wider West Nile coffee belt.
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